2Ch 20:22-23 | KingComments | STEP | The next day, the day after all the encouraging promises, they get up early and go out to the wilderness of Tekoa ( ). Possibly because yesterday’s overwhelming impressions have weakened somewhat, Jehoshaphat stands and addresses the people just before departure. He calls them to listen to him, for he has two more powerful encouragements for them. His first encouragement is to trust in the LORD, Whom they know as their God. If they do, and only then, they will stand before the enemy and not shudder. The second encouragement is to trust the prophets of the LORD, for they have spoken His words to them. And has any word that the LORD has spoken ever remained unfulfilled? Well, if they trust His prophets, that is, if they trust His Word, they will prosper and win. After his encouraging speech Jehoshaphat consults with the people ( ). The result of the consultation is that they appoint singers for the LORD to praise Him “in holy attire”. It is as if the hymn of the previous day still resounds in their ears and hearts and they want to continue with it. The praise of the LORD gives strength. The singers go out before the army. The weapons will not be used, for the LORD has said that he will fight. That the men are armed, is not to fight, but to confirm victory. Praise goes out before victory. Victory follows praise. The content of the hymn of praise, “give thanks to the LORD, for His lovingkindness is everlasting”, is the great chorus of the kingdom of peace ( ). At the same time that cheers and praises sound, the LORD defeats the enemies through ambushes ( ). The following verse shows how victory is achieved ( ). The LORD lets the enemies fight against each other. Without any intervention of a human being victory is achieved. Thus the Lord Jesus also achieved the victory on the cross and we may reap the fruits of it. It is not necessary for Christians to eradicate an outward, false religion. Such a religion eradicates itself because it carries in itself the seed of its own destruction. What Israel only has to do is look at the result and reap the fruits. They see the result at “the lookout of the wilderness” ( ). From there they only see dead enemies. No one has escaped, just as no one will escape the final judgment of God. That victory is only God’s work is not common, because God usually uses His people to defeat enemies. However, God is not bound by certain methods. His choice is always such that He is glorified in the result. In this case Jehoshaphat and the people may take for themselves of the spoil ( ). That too is not self-evident ( ; ). Here God allows it. They take from the spoil as much as they can carry. They can’t carry everything at once, there’s so much there. The spoil is so enormous that they spend three days to take it. After three days of taking of the spoil, the people gather on the fourth day in “the valley of Beracah”, which means “the valley of praise” ( ). The valley of praise gets its name here. The meeting takes place here and not in Jerusalem near the temple. In an application to us, it reminds us that God wants to receive praise outside the meeting of the church as soon as there is reason to do so. We don’t have to wait for that to happen until we meet as a church, where there is a special place for it, when we meet at the Lord’s Table to proclaim His death in the use of His Supper. After this spontaneous expression of praise for the victory, the men, with Jehoshaphat at the head, return to Jerusalem full of joy ( ). The reason for their joy is what the LORD has done with their enemies. Arriving in Jerusalem they go to the house of the LORD ( ) under musical accompaniment. From there they left and there they return. For us, too, the church is the place of departure for everything we may do for the Lord and the place to which we return after we have been allowed to do something for the Lord (cf. ). In this way we may share with the ‘home church’ what the Lord has done and glorify Him together for it. The news of the LORD’s victory over the enemies of Israel has the effect that there is “the dread of God … on all the kingdoms of the lands” that hear of it ( ). This is always the result when God works with and for His people. It does not mean that the peoples start to seek God. It is more so that they will think twice before they go to war against Israel, against a people with such a mighty God. The result is that through this intervention of God the kingdom of Jehoshaphat has rest on all sides ( ). It is worth noting that this history also has a prophetic meaning. In the same way as the Spirit of the LORD comes upon Jahaziel ( ), so according to Joel 2 the Spirit will come upon all Israel in the end time, that is to say, upon the faithful remnant that is then all Israel ( ; cf. ). In Joel 3 there are two references to this history ( ). The “valley of Jehoshaphat” mentioned there is probably the same as “the valley of Beracah” (“valley of praise”) in this chapter ( ). In Joel 2 we see the same preparation for meeting the enemy as here ( ).

‏ 2 Chronicles 20:22-23

The LORD Defeats the Enemy

The next day, the day after all the encouraging promises, they get up early and go out to the wilderness of Tekoa (2Chr 20:20). Possibly because yesterday’s overwhelming impressions have weakened somewhat, Jehoshaphat stands and addresses the people just before departure. He calls them to listen to him, for he has two more powerful encouragements for them.

His first encouragement is to trust in the LORD, Whom they know as their God. If they do, and only then, they will stand before the enemy and not shudder. The second encouragement is to trust the prophets of the LORD, for they have spoken His words to them. And has any word that the LORD has spoken ever remained unfulfilled? Well, if they trust His prophets, that is, if they trust His Word, they will prosper and win.

After his encouraging speech Jehoshaphat consults with the people (2Chr 20:21). The result of the consultation is that they appoint singers for the LORD to praise Him “in holy attire”. It is as if the hymn of the previous day still resounds in their ears and hearts and they want to continue with it. The praise of the LORD gives strength.

The singers go out before the army. The weapons will not be used, for the LORD has said that he will fight. That the men are armed, is not to fight, but to confirm victory. Praise goes out before victory. Victory follows praise. The content of the hymn of praise, “give thanks to the LORD, for His lovingkindness is everlasting”, is the great chorus of the kingdom of peace (Psa 136:1-26).

At the same time that cheers and praises sound, the LORD defeats the enemies through ambushes (2Chr 20:22). The following verse shows how victory is achieved (2Chr 20:23). The LORD lets the enemies fight against each other. Without any intervention of a human being victory is achieved.

Thus the Lord Jesus also achieved the victory on the cross and we may reap the fruits of it. It is not necessary for Christians to eradicate an outward, false religion. Such a religion eradicates itself because it carries in itself the seed of its own destruction.

What Israel only has to do is look at the result and reap the fruits. They see the result at “the lookout of the wilderness” (2Chr 20:24). From there they only see dead enemies. No one has escaped, just as no one will escape the final judgment of God. That victory is only God’s work is not common, because God usually uses His people to defeat enemies. However, God is not bound by certain methods. His choice is always such that He is glorified in the result.

In this case Jehoshaphat and the people may take for themselves of the spoil (2Chr 20:25). That too is not self-evident (Jos 6:18; 1Chr 18:11). Here God allows it. They take from the spoil as much as they can carry. They can’t carry everything at once, there’s so much there. The spoil is so enormous that they spend three days to take it.

After three days of taking of the spoil, the people gather on the fourth day in “the valley of Beracah”, which means “the valley of praise” (2Chr 20:26). The valley of praise gets its name here. The meeting takes place here and not in Jerusalem near the temple. In an application to us, it reminds us that God wants to receive praise outside the meeting of the church as soon as there is reason to do so. We don’t have to wait for that to happen until we meet as a church, where there is a special place for it, when we meet at the Lord’s Table to proclaim His death in the use of His Supper.

After this spontaneous expression of praise for the victory, the men, with Jehoshaphat at the head, return to Jerusalem full of joy (2Chr 20:27). The reason for their joy is what the LORD has done with their enemies. Arriving in Jerusalem they go to the house of the LORD (2Chr 20:28) under musical accompaniment. From there they left and there they return.

For us, too, the church is the place of departure for everything we may do for the Lord and the place to which we return after we have been allowed to do something for the Lord (cf. Acts 14:26-27). In this way we may share with the ‘home church’ what the Lord has done and glorify Him together for it.

The news of the LORD’s victory over the enemies of Israel has the effect that there is “the dread of God … on all the kingdoms of the lands” that hear of it (2Chr 20:29). This is always the result when God works with and for His people. It does not mean that the peoples start to seek God. It is more so that they will think twice before they go to war against Israel, against a people with such a mighty God. The result is that through this intervention of God the kingdom of Jehoshaphat has rest on all sides (2Chr 20:30).

It is worth noting that this history also has a prophetic meaning. In the same way as the Spirit of the LORD comes upon Jahaziel (2Chr 20:14), so according to Joel 2 the Spirit will come upon all Israel in the end time, that is to say, upon the faithful remnant that is then all Israel (Joel 2:28-29; cf. Rom 11:25-26). In Joel 3 there are two references to this history (Joel 3:2 ; 12). The “valley of Jehoshaphat” mentioned there is probably the same as “the valley of Beracah” (“valley of praise”) in this chapter (2Chr 20:26). In Joel 2 we see the same preparation for meeting the enemy as here (Joel 2:15-17).